concept for a popular book on human language technology

Filipino Guide to Language Technology

Book Concept

Target Audience is undergrad IT student looking to do a school project related to human language. Start with a chapter related to applying NLTK to Cebuano, including the Wolff dictionary. Secondary target is a IT-power user language specialist.

Put up draft chapters on Linguistic Exploration, or later a dedicated website.

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Outline

1. Intro stuff, what is HLT, diversity of Philippine languages, language situation in Phil, disciplines of informatics and linguistics
2. Using HLT on the Web, identifying the gap for Phil languages, focus on three problems motivating running examples
3. Using NLTK
4. Concepts about Language: Phonemes and Morphemes
5. Concepts about Software: data representation, XML
1. e.g. TEI dictionaries, Wolff dictionary
6. Lang: Syntax at level of parse trees
1. using NLTK for a grammar of Filipino
7. Modeling syntax
1. FSM, push-down automata, recursive desent parser
2. formal grammars of Filipino and Cebuano
8. Corpus building
1. Using NLTK, building a database/Web repository
9. Using semantics
1. Semantic Web
2. Word senses in a TEI dictionary
10. Modifying NLTK
1. Python or Java
11. Typed Feature Structures
1. HPSG models of Filipino and Cebuano
2. Using LKB
12. Semantics of Words
1. FrameNet
13. Modifying NLTK for word semantics of a Philippine language
14. Semantics of Clauses
1. MRS
15. Discourse
1. DRT
2. Speech Acts
16. Comparing Languages
17. Extended example
18. Cognitive Modeling
19. Open projects
1. Collaborating with language specialists
2. Publishing on the Web
3. Open Source

Biblio

• NLTK book
• SIL software
• HPSG
• Kim & Sells 2008
• Sag, Wasow and Bender
• LKB
• ....